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One step closer to universal health care?

Physician Practice Advisor, January 28, 2004

Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy announced Thursday that he plans to introduce legislation requiring employers with 50 or more workers to provide health insurance equivalent to the coverage offered to federal employees, according to a report on the Bureau of National Affairs Web site.

Although many private employers provide insurance voluntarily, there is no law that requires them to do so. In an effort to allay the fears of business group lobbies, Kennedy's "Health Security and Affordability Act" would cap employer health care spending at 12% of payroll.

The proposal also provides for payment incentive to increase general health care quality including a provision that would reduce drug prices by importing from European Union countries and Canada, limit direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies, and allow the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices for Medicare patients directly with drug companies.

Visit http://healthcenter.bna.com/pic2/hc.nsf/id/BNAP-5VGL63?OpenDocument for more information

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